Having read the entire article, I'm a little confused. He says it's one of his favorite questions to both ask and be asked, but when VCs ask it, it is sparked

Having read the entire article, I'm a little confused. He says it's one of his favorite questions to both ask and be asked, but when VCs ask it, it is sparked by their ego with the intent of putting them down. But when he asks the question himself, he doesn't claim to do it with the same bad intentions. Seems overly negative towards VCs to acknowledge that they ask a really great question, but do it with the intent of making founders feel like crap.